Row erupts between Ryanair and UK air traffic control
Ryanair has accused the body that controls UK airspace of discriminating against airlines at Stansted and giving priority to those using Heathrow and Gatwick.
In a formal complaint to the European Commission, Ryanair claims that NATS, which is 42% owned by airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, has failed to ‘fairly supply’ staff and airspace resources at Stansted.
As a result, it said it had ‘wreaked havoc’ at the airport this summer. Last month, Ryanair suffered 550 flight cancellations, which it blamed partly on UK air traffic control, although it also endured a pilots’ strike and ATC delays in other parts of Europe.
In its complaint, Ryanair argues that during the first three months of the year, 52% of all ATC delays in the London area ’caused by NATS’ affected flights at Stansted, its largest base.
It claimed that Heathrow suffered no ATC delays trigged by NATS, and at Gatwick the figure was only 10%.
Ryanair’s chief operating officer Peter Bellew said: “The situation is particularly bad at weekends where NATS are hiding behind adverse weather and euphemisms such as ‘capacity restrictions’ when the truth is they are not rostering enough ATC staff to cater for the number of flights that are scheduled to operate.
"Urgent action must now be taken by the UK Department for Transport and the EU Commission, otherwise thousands more flights and millions of passengers at Stansted will continue to suffer disproportionate delays while NATS protects its shareholder airlines’ services in Heathrow and Gatwick.”
NATS insisted that it does not discriminate between airlines or airports and said that Ryanair’s performance this summer cannot be blamed on UK air traffic control.
In a statement, it said that the figures quoted by Ryanair coincide with the introduction of new technology that affected flight capacity at Stansted and other airports, including London Luton. over a seven-month period.
“All airlines and airports were notified of the timetable in advance and understood the new technology will help us increase capacity safely in the future," it said.
"NATS has a duty to ensure commercial aircraft can fly safely through UK airspace. Adding extra controllers to the Essex airspace will not make a difference. Additional aircraft cannot fly in that area safely without redesigning the airspace, which requires consultation with those affected on the ground.”
Stansted owners MAGS said it is considering the need for further action, including the possibility of making a formal complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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